Article of furniture

ABSTRACT

An article of furniture having a plurality of interlocking elements which are assembled and held together without separate fasteners, such as screws, bolts, clamps, pins and the like includes a pair of spaced planar upright support elements positioned in opposed facing relation and a planar brace member extending between and positioned normal to the support elements and a planar work surface having side edges engaging surfaces of the support elements and the brace member and having tabs extending from the side edges and through slots in the support elements and the brace member. A planar generally upright partition extends between and interlocks with the support elements and has a lower edge engaging an upper surface of the work surface and a tab extending from the lower edge and through a slot in the work surface. The brace member has end edges engaging facing surfaces of the support elements and tabs extending from the end edges and through slots in the support elements and at least one of the tabs has a lock tab extending therefrom and positioned to engage an exterior surface of a respective support element. Each of the slots have facing side surfaces positioned to engage opposite side surfaces of the respective tab extending therethrough.

United States Patent Nathan 8. Ferman 13207 Ashland, Grandview, Mo. 64030 [72] lnventor [21] Appl. No. 866,902 [22] Filed Oct. 16, 1969 [45] Patented Sept. 7, 1971 54 ARTICLE or FURNITURE Primary Examiner--Paul R. Gilliam AttorneyFishbum, Gold and Litman ABSTRACT: An article of furniture having a plurality of interlocking elements which are assembled and held together without separate fasteners, such as screws, bolts, clamps, pins and the like includes a pair of spaced planar upright support elements positioned in opposed facing relation and a planar brace member extending between and positioned normal to the support elements and a planar work surface having side edges engaging surfaces of the support elements and the brace member and having tabs extending from the side edges and through slots in the support elements and the brace member. A planar generally upright partition extends between and interlocks with the support elements -and has a lower edge engaging an upper surface of the work surface and a tab extending from the lower edge and through a slot in the work surface. The brace member has end edges engaging facing surfaces of the support elements and tabs extending from the end edges and through slots in the support elements and at least one of the tabs has a lock tab extending therefrom and positioned to engage an exterior surface of a respective support element. Each of the slots have facing side surfaces positioned to engage opposite side surfaces of the respective tab extending therethrough.

PATENTED SE? 7m;

SHEET 1 [1F 2 INVENTOR. Nofhon B. Ferrncn ATTORNEYS PATENTED SEP 7 m SHEET 2 [IF 2 I INVENTOR. Nol'hcm B. Fermon BY M, k n-1 ATTORNEYS ARTICLE OF FURNITURE The present invention relates to an article of furniture having a plurality of interlocking elements which are assembled and held together without separate fasteners and, moreparticularly, to childrens furniture of the knockdown type adapted to be used as a blackboard and as a desk.

The principal objects of the present invention are: to provide an article of furniture having a plurality of interlocking elements which are assembled and held together without separate fasteners; to provide such an article of furniture of the knockdown type which is attractive to children and which is adapted for use as blackboard and as a desk; to provide such an article of furniture wherein each of the elements thereof engage a plurality of the elements forming the article of furniture; to provide such an article of furniture which is easily assembled and knocked down; to provide such an article of furniture which has a silhouette representing a selected animal attractive to children, such as a horse, elephant and the like; to provide such an article of furniture which is economical to manufacture, is simple to assemble, is stable when assembled, is durable in use, and is particularly well adapted for the proposed use.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an article of furniture embodying features of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the article of furniture showing a bulletin board mounted thereon.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the article of furniture showing interengaging slots and tabs for interlocking the parts together during assembly.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the article of furniture.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

The reference numeral 1 generally designates an article of furniture having a plurality of interlocking elements which are assembled and held together without separate fasteners, such as screws, bolts, clamps, pins and the like. The article of fumiture 1 has a pair of spaced planar upright support elements 2 and 3 respectively positioned in opposed facing relation and a planar brace member 4 extending between and positioned normal to the support elements 2 and 3 and a planar work surface 5 having side edges engaging surfaces of the support elements 2 and 3 and the brace member 4 and having tabs extending from the side edges and through slots in the support elements 2 and 3 and the brace member 4. A planar generally upright partition 6 extends between and interlocks with the support elements 2 and 3 and has a lower edge engaging an upper surface of the work surface 5 and a tab extending from the lower edge and through a slot in the work surface 5. The brace member 4 has end edges engaging facing surfaces of the support elements 2 and 3 and tabs extending from the end edges and through slots in the support elements 2 and 3 and at least one of the tabs has a lock tab extending therefrom and positioned to engage an exterior surface of a respective support element. Each of the slots have facing side surfaces positioned to engage opposite side surfaces of the respective tab extending therethrough.

1n the illustrated structure, the article of furniture 1 is adapted for use as a blackboard and as a desk and the support elements 2 and 3 are shown as a pair of spaced front and rear upright end standards 2 and 3 respectively for supporting the upright partition 6 extending therebetween. The work surface 5 is illustrated as a planar generally horizontal deck extending between the end standards 2 and 3 and is positioned below the partition 6 to interlock with and support the partition 6, as later described. The brace member 4 is illustrated as a generally upright skirt which extends between the end standards 2 and 3 and has a portion thereof extending above the work surface 5 to form an article-retaining compartment 7 for supporting and retaining articles used with a blackboard 8, such as chalk, erasers and the like. The partition 6 has the blackboard 8 on the side 9 adjacent the article-retaining compartment 7 and a bulletin board 10 on the other side of the partition 6 adjacent a major portion 11 of the work surface 5 to form a desk portion of the article of furniture 1.

The partition 6 is an elongate planar member having an intermediate portion thereof between the end standards 2 and 3 and opposite end portions 12 and 13 respectively extending beyond the respective front and rear end standards 2 and 3. It is preferable that the article of furniture 1 have an appearance and shape which is attractive to children, therefore, the partition 6 has a silhouette representing a selected animal, such as a horse, elephant, giraffe or the like, with one of the end portions thereof, as for example, end portion 12, extending beyond the front end standard 2 and representing the head or front portion of the selected animal and with the other end portion 13 representing the tail or rear portion thereof.

The blackboard 8 may be formed by painting a portion of the side 9 of the partition 6 between the end standards 2 and 3 and above the work surface 5 with a suitable black paint or a suitable sheet of chalkboard, slate or the like may be mounted thereon and supported in a suitable frame (not shown).

The bulletin board 10 is mounted on the other side of the partition 6 between the front and rear end standards 2 and 3 and above the work surface 5. The bulletin board 10 consists of a suitable material adapted to retain thumbtacks and the like such as cork. It is preferred that the cork be mounted in a frame 14 to provide a finished appearance therefor.

It is desirable that the end standards 2 and 3, partition 6, work surface 5 and brace member 4 be easily and simply assembled and disassembled and provide a stable structure when assembled, therefore, the partition 6 has front and rear slots or notches l5 and 16 respectively extending upwardly from a lower edge thereof and the notches 15 and 16 are sized to receive the front and rear standards 2 and 3 respectively therein. The front and rear notches 15 and 16 are enlarged adjacent the lower edge of the partition 6 and extend into the intermediate portion of the partition 6 to form shoulders 17 and 18 respectively which engage an upper surface of the work surface 5 for support. A tab 19 extends downwardly between the shoulders 17 and 18 to be received within a slot 20 in the work surface 5 for interlocking the partition 6 and work surface 5.

The tab 19 is intermediate the slots or notches 15 and 16 and the tab 19 extends along a major portion of the lower edge to define the shoulders 17 and 18. The front and rear slots or notches 15 and 16 are each defined by an upper end and sub stantially parallel facing surfaces positioned to engage opposite side surfaces of the front and rear end standards 2 and 3 respectively to provide a sliding frictional resistance between the respective surfaces.

The end standards 2 and 3 are each planar members shaped to represent front and rear portions respectively of the selected animal and each standard has a lower notch 21 extending upwardly from a lower edge thereof and positioned generally centrally of the respective end standard to define leg portions 22 and23 for each of the end standards 2 and 3. An upper slot or notch 24 extends downwardly from an upper edge of each of the end standards 2 and 3 and is sized to receive the partition 4 therein whereby the partition 6 is interlocked with the end standards 2 and 3.

The upper slot or notch 24 in each of the end standards 2 and 3 is defined by a lower end and substantially parallel facing surfaces positioned to engage opposite side surfaces of the partition 6 to provide a sliding frictional resistance between the respective surfaces. In the illustrated structure, the partition 6 is substantially normal or perpendicular to the support elements 2 and 3.

Each of the end standards 2 and 3 has a generally horizontal slot 25 intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof and the horizontal slot 25 is sized to receive a tab 26 extending from one of the side edges 27 and 28 respectively of the work surface 5 for interlocking the work surface 5 with the end standards 2 and 3.

In the illustrated structure, the tab 26 is substantially centered along each of the side edges 27 and 28 and extends along approximately one-third the length thereof to define opposite end portions of the side edges 27 and 28 for engaging the interior surface of the respective end standard. The horizontal slots are each defined by opposite end surfaces and substantially parallel facing surfaces positioned to engage upper and lower side surfaces of the respective tab 26 to provide a sliding frictional resistance between the respective surfaces.

Each of the end standards 2 and 3 has a generally upright slot 29 adjacent one edge thereof and the upright slot 29 is sized to receive an end tab 30 extending from opposite ends of the brace member 4 for interlocking the brace member and end standards. The upright slot 29 in one of the end standards, as for example, the rear end standard 3, has an upper end 31 thereof positioned above the level of an upper end 32 of the upright slot 29 in the front end standard 2 to permit insertion of a lock tab 33, as later described, extending from one of the end tabs 30 to engage an exterior or rear surface of the rear end standard 3.

The upright slot 29 in each of the end standards 2 and 3 is defined by upper and lower ends and substantially parallel facing surfaces positioned to engage opposite side surfaces of the respective tab 30 of the brace member 4. Each end tab 30 is positioned intermediate the ends of the respective end edge and each extends along a major portion of the respective end edge to define opposite end portions of each end edge for engaging the respective interior surface of the end standards.

The work surface 5 is a planar member having the tabs 26 extending from opposite side edges 27 and 28 thereof. The slot 20 in the work surface 5 is positioned to receive the tab 19 of the partition 6 and the slot 20 is positioned adjacent a forward edge 34 of the work surface 5 to divide same into the major portion 11 and a minor portion 35 which forms the bottom of the article-containing compartment 7. A tab 36 extends outwardly from the forward edge 34 of the work surface 5 and the tab 36 is sized to be received within an elongate slot 37 in the brace member 4 for interlocking the work surface 5 and the brace member 4.

The elongate slot 37 in the brace member 4 is defined by opposite end surfaces and substantially parallel facing surfaces positioned to engage opposite side surfaces of the tab 36 to provide a sliding frictional resistance between the respective surfaces. The tab 36 is positioned intermediate the ends of the forward edge 34 and extends along a major portion thereof to define opposite end portions of the forward edge 34 for engaging one surface of the brace member 4.

The brace member 4 is a planar upright member extending between the front and rear end standards 2 and 3 and has the end tabs 30 sized to be received within the upright slots 29 of the standards 2 and 3. The lock tab 33 is a lower extension of the end tab 30 at one end of the brace member 4 and a recess 38 extends upwardly from the lower edge of the tab extension and is sized to receive the rear end standard 3 therein whereby the lock tab 33 may engage an exterior or rear surface of the rear end standard 3 to prevent separation of the skirt 6 and rear end standard 3 and thereby separation of article of fumiture 1 after assembly thereof.

The elongate slot 37 in the brace member 4 is adjacent an upper edge 39 of the brace member 4 with the portion above the slot 37 forming the front or forward portion of the articleretaining compartment 7 and with the major portion of the brace member 4 below the slot 37 forming a brace for strengthening and stiffening the article of furniture 1.

It is preferable that the article of furniture be manufactured and supplied in a disassembled state with simple easy-to-follow instructions for the assembly thereof. It is also desirable that the various parts of the article of furniture 1 be formed of strong and durable material, such as plywood having an appropriate finish, such as paint, varnish or veneer.

In the assembly of the article of furniture I, the rear end standard 3 is held in an upright position and the end tab 30 having the lock tab 33 thereon is inserted in the upright slot 29 of the end standard 3 and the brace member 4 is lowered whereby an upper end of the recess 38 engages a lower end of the upright slot 29 with the lock tab 33 engaging the exterior or rear surface of the end standard 3. The tab 36 at the forward edge 34 of the work surface 5 is inserted in the horizontal slot 37 of the brace member 4 and the side tab 26 of the work surface 5 is inserted in the horizontal slot 25 of the rear end standard 3. The front end standard 2 is then moved toward the work surface 5 and brace member 4 whereby the other side tab 26 of the work surface 5 is received within the horizontal slot 25 of the front end standard 2 and the end tab 30 at the other end of the brace member 4 is received within the upright slot 29 of the front end standard 2. The partition 6 is then moved into place to complete the article of furniture I with upper ends of the front and rear slots or notches l5 and 16 in the partition 6 engaging lower ends of the respective upper notches 24 in the end standards 2 and 3. The tab 19 on the lower edge of the partition 6 is inserted into the slot 20 of the work surface 5 with the shoulders 17 and 18 engaging the upper surface of the work surface 5. The blackboard 8 forms a writing surface on the side 9 adjacent the brace member 4 and article-containing compartment 7 wherein suitable articles for use with the blackboard 8, such as chalk, erasers and the like, may be stored within the compartment 7. The bulletin board 10 on the other side of the partition 6 is thereby positioned ad jacent the major portion 11 of the work surface 5 thereby forming a desk portion 11 of the work surface 5 thereby forming a desk portion of the article of furniture 1. The work surface 5 is positioned to permit a chair, bench or the like to be placed thereunder and between the end standards 2 and 3 while using the major portion 11 of the work surface 5 as a desk.

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described one form of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An educational toy furniture structure having a selected animal connotation comprising:

a. spaced end members with one simulating an animal front portion with depending front legs and the other simulating the rear portion of such an animal with depending rear legs, said end members each being planar and in op posed substantially parallel relation, said end members each having spaced elongate slots corresponding to and aligned with such slots in the other end member;

. a generally upright brace member extending between said end members and having opposite end edges engaging the respective end members and tabs extending from said end edges into respective aligned slots in the end members;

c. a planar work table member extending between said spaced end members and having opposed end edges engaging said end members and tabs extending from said end edges into respective aligned slots in said end members, cooperating means on said work table member and brace members interconnecting same, said work table member having an upper surface serving as a desk portion; and

d. an upright planar partition member having an animalsimulating body portion between said spaced end members and portions projecting outwardly of the respective end members simulating animal head and tail portions, said partition having slots cooperating with slots in the end members to receive adjacent portions thereof in interlocking engagement, said partition and the work table member having cooperating portions interconnecting same whereby all the members are held in assembled relation and are separable only by removal of the partition member.

2. The toy furniture structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cooperating slot arrangement of the partition and end members comprises:

said article'retaining compartment;

e. a bulletin board mounted on said partition on the side opposite said writing surface; and

f. said work surface has a major portion thereof extending normal to the other side of said partition to form a desk portion of the article of furniture.

6. An educational toy furniture structure having a selected animal connotation comprising:

a. spaced-end members with one simulating an animal front portion with depending front legs and the other simulating the rear portion of such an animal with depending rear lets, said end members each being planar and in opposed substantially parallel relation, said end members each having spaced elongate slots corresponding to and 3. The toy furniture structure as set forth in claim 2 1 wherein: b.

a. said work table member has an elongate slot spaced from and substantially parallel to the brace member; b. said partition has a tab extending from a lower edge of aligned with such slots in the other end member;

a generally upright brace member extending between said end members and having opposite end edges engaging the respective end members and tabs extending from said end edges into respective aligned slots in the end members,

said partition through said slot in the work table member, 2 said brace member having an elongate generally horizonsaid tab being intermediate said upwardly extending slots 810i therein;

therein to form shoulders adjacent opposite ends of said c. a planar work table member extending between said tab for engaging an upper surface of said work table spaced end members and having opposed end edges enmember when said tab is received in said slot in said work gagmg end membfzrs tabs F F from Surface end edges into respective aligned slots in said end mem- 4. The article of furniture as set forth in claim 3 wherein: Pers, work member f 51d? edge P0mons 'lg g:

a. said brace member is positioned adjacent one side edge of g the brace member, said work table member savin a each ofsaid end member. tab extending from said side edge portions through the b. said slots in said end members for receiving said respecelongate slot m the brace m Slots the brace tive tabs of said brace members are generally upright member and and members wlllch work Place tabs Slots. tend being in the same plane, said work member having c. said upright slots in one of said end members has an upper an elongate slot spaced from and pafallel with Sam end positioned above the upper end of the upright slot in Portions, 531d f m m er having an upper surface the other end member; and sfirvmg F S desk Portlonf d. one of said end tabs of said brace member has a lock tab planar pfmmon membef havmg an ammal' extending therefrom and spaced from the respective end slmulatmg bofly Pew/sen Spaced end edge of said brace member to engage an exterior surface hers and pomons pm-lecung outwardly of the respecnve of Said one end membfin end members simulating the animal front and rear por- 5. The toy furniture structure as set forth in claim 4 and in- Hons and Simulating animal head tall 531d eluding: 4Q partition having slots cooperating with slots in the end a. said partition has a major portion thereof above said work members to recewe adlacem PP Thereof m table member. locking engagement, said partition having a depending b. said brace member is a generally upright member extendextenfllng elongate 51mm i work member ing substantially parandwith Said partition; e. said partition hav ng opposed surfaces between the end Said brace member has a minor portion thereof above members with writing surfaces and bulletin receiving porsaid work table member thereby forming an article 9 thereon; f retaining compartment defined by said end members and f. said structure being such that all members are held in asone side of Said partition and said minor portion of said sembled relation and are separable only by removal of the brace member. head, body and tail-simulating partition member.

d. a writing surface on the side of said partition adjacent 5O 

1. An educational toy furniture structure having a selected animal connotation comprising: a. spaced end members with one simulating an animal front portion with depending front legs and the other simulating the rear portion of such an animal with depending rear legs, said end members each being planar and in opposed substantially parallel relation, said end members each having spaced elongate slots corresponding to and aligned with such slots in the other end member; b. a generally upright brace member extending between said end members and having opposite end edges engaging the respective end members and tabs extending from said end edges into respective aligned slots in the end members; c. a planar work table member extending between said spaced end members and having opposed end edges engaging said end members and tabs extending from said end edges into respective aligned slots in said end members, cooperating means on said work table member and brace members interconnecting same, said work table member having an upper surface serving as a desk portion; and d. an upright planar partition member having an animalsimulating body portion between said spaced end members and portions projecting outwardly of the respective end members simulating animal head and tail portions, said partition having slots cooperating with slots in the end members to receive adjacent portions thereof in interlocking engagement, said partition and the work table member having cooperating portions interconnecting same whereby all the members are held in assembled relation and are separable only by removal of the partition member.
 2. The toy furniture structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cooperating slot arrangement of the partition and end members comprises: a. said partition has a pair of spaced elongate slots extending upwardly from a lower edge thereof, said slots each having facing surfaces positioned to engage opposite side surfaces of a respective end member; and b. said end members each have an elongate slot extending downwardly from an upper edge thereof and substantially equally spaced from sides thereof, said slots each having facing surfaces positioned to engage opposite side surfaces of said partition whereby said partition and said end members are interlocked with said partition being substantially normal to said end members.
 3. The toy furniture structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein: a. said work table member has an elongate slot spaced from and substantially parallel to the brace member; b. said partition has a tab extending from a lower edge of said partition through said slot in the work table member, said tab being intermediate said upwardly extending slots therein to form shoulders adjacent opposite ends of said tab for engaging an upper surface of said work table member when said tab is received in said slot in said work surface.
 4. The article of furniture as set forth in claim 3 wherein: a. said brace member is positioned adjacent one side edge of each of said end member; b. said slots in said end members for receiving said respective tabs of said brace members are generally upright slots; c. said upright slots in one of said end members has an upper end positioned above the upper end of the upright slot in the other end member; and d. one of said end tabs of said brace member has a lock tab extending therefrom and spaced from the respective end edge of said brace member to engage an exterior surface of said one end member.
 5. The toy furniture structure as set forth in claim 4 and including: a. said partition has a major portion thereof above said work table member; b. said brace member is a generally upright member extending substantially parallel with said partition; c. said brace member has a minor portion thereof above said work table member thereby forming an article-retaining compartment defined by said end members and one side of said partition and said minor portion of said brace member; d. a writing surface on the side of said partition adjacent said article-retaining compartment; e. a bulletin board mounted on said partition on the side opposite said writing surface; and f. said work surface has a major portion thereof extending normal to the other side of said partition to form a desk portion of the article of furniture.
 6. An educational toy furniture structure having a selected animal connotation comprising: a. spaced-end members with one simulating an animal front portion with depending front legs and the other simulating the rear portion of such an animal with depending rear lets, said end members each being planar and in opposed substantially parallel relation, said end members each having spaced elongate slots corresponding to and aligned with such slots in the other end member; b. a generally upright brace member extending between said end members and having opposite end edges engaging the respective end members and tabs extending from said end edges into respective aligned slots in the end members, said brace member having an elongate generally horizontal slot therein; c. a planar work table member extending between said spaced end members and having opposed end edges engaging said end members and tabs extending from said end edges into respective aligned slots in said end members, said work member having side edge portions engaging the brace member, said work table member saving a tab extending from said side edge portions through the elongate slot in the brace member, said slots in the brace member and end members into which work piece tabs extend being in the same plane, said work member having an elongate slot spaced from and parallel with said side edge portions, said work member having an upper surface serving as s desk portion; d. an upright planar partition member having an animal-simulating body portion between said spaced end members and portions projecting outwardly of the respective end members simulating the animal front and rear portions and simulating animal head and tail portions, said partition having slots cooperating with slots in the end members to receive adjacent portions thereof in interlocking engagement, said partition having a depending tab extending into the elongate slot in the work member; e. said partition having opposed surfaces between the end members with writing surfaces and bulletin receiving portions thereon; and f. said structure being such that all members are held in assembled relation and are separable only by removal of the head, body and tail-simulating partition member. 